Top 5 Biggest Houses in the World

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For most, a house with a couple of bedrooms and bathrooms is enough. Some of the richest people in the world, however, need thousands of square feet to separate themselves from their family members. The biggest houses in the world are more than just dwellings. They’re castles, palaces and mansions that require a map if you don’t want to get lost and forgotten.

For most, a house with a couple of bedrooms and bathrooms is enough. Some of the richest people in the world, however, need thousands of square feet to separate themselves from their family members. The biggest houses in the world are more than just dwellings. They’re castles, palaces and mansions that require a map if you don’t want to get lost and forgotten.Start Slideshow >

1Istana Nurul Iman

2,152,782 Square Feet

While the country of Burnei is small in size, the official residence of the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on the banks of the Brunei River is the largest residential palace in the world. The name of the home, Istana Nurul Iman, means “Palace of the Light of Faith” in Persian. At 2,152,782 square feet, the palace has 1,788 rooms, 257 bathrooms (no more waiting in line), a mosque for 1,500 worshipers and a banquet hall that can entertain 5,000 guests. In addition to the five pools and stables for the 200 horses, the Sultan has a 110-car garage for his coveted collection of vehicles.

2Royal Palace of Madrid

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1,450,000 Square Feet

The official residence of the Spanish Royal Family, the Royal Palace of Madrid is 1,450,000 square feet. As the largest palace in Europe, the home has 3,418 rooms, the world’s only quartet with Stradivarius instruments and paintings by artists like Francisco de Goya, Caravaggio and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo.

3Windsor Castle

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484,000 Square Feet

Windsor Castle in Berkshire County, England, is the self-proclaimed largest inhabited castle in the world at 484,000 square feet. Some say that it’s the largest house in the world because it’s actively inhabited by its royal occupants. William the Conqueror originally built the castle in the 11th century as a fortress, but it wasn’t long before King Henry I made Windsor Castle a royal residence in the 1100s, making it also the oldest inhabited castle in the world.

4Antilia Building

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400,000 Square Feet

Located in South Mumbai, India, the Antilia Building stands 550 feet tall with 400,000 square feet of interior space and a billion-dollar price tag. Of the 27 floors in the personal home of Mukesh Ambani, six of them are parking garages. The ceilings in the residence skyscraper are so high that a building with a similar height could comfortably have 60 floors. The home has nine elevators, stairs with silver-coated railings and ballroom with a ceiling covered with crystal chandeliers.

5Biltmore Estate

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178,926 Square Feet

Ashville, North Carolina is the home of the largest privately owned house in the U.S., the Biltmore Estate. Built by George Washington Vanderbilt between 1889 and 1895, the home is 178,926 square feet with 35 bedrooms, 250 total rooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces. The basement alone houses a gym, swimming pool, locker rooms, kitchen, servant quarters and a bowling alley! In the original construction, Vanderbilt also included a woodworking shop, brick factory and a railway spur that was three miles long, to transport materials.